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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1996-03-06, Page 22 -TNI HURON EXPOSITOR, Marsh S, 1996 News and Views New blood lab to be located at clinic BY DAVID SCOTT Expositor Editor Mike Hak, chair of the hos- pital board's finance/property" committee; gave a brief update on the proposed, new .lab at last Monday night's meeting. . A blood procurement facili- ty would -likely be located in the medical clinic, said Hak. CEO Bill Thibert said the hospital is working with pub- Iic health regarding the usage of space for the new lab. • In othcr finance matters, Hak said the hospital has until -the end of March to finalize the details of the emergency. fire dispatch sys- tem for insurance purposes and send to the OMA. The number -of doctors working out of ,Scaforth Community Hospital will he up to seven.hy,July. Dr. S. Edwards will join the exist- ing team of doctors this sum- mer. Handling the Cut Finance chair Mike Hak said the h2►spital has to make up a shortfall of $300,000 required for the capital bud-. , get after the province announced •Scaforth Community Hospital would he hit with a 2.5 per cent cut in funding. The hospital -receives 90 per cent of its revenue from the province. Early retirement packages and possible buy-outs are heing examined by the finance committee as options for saving money. The com- mittee is going through the. first draft of the budget-. New Chemistry Analyzer Eleven arca hospitals arc looking at. getting a, package deal for purchasing chemical analyzers for $75,000 each from Kodak. Finance chair Mike Hak said Tthe deal is a "gc!od one since the Wiarton hospital recently purchased the same cquip•ment for -.$10.5.0(X). "The_current one is nine and a hall to 10 years old, •which is the normal lifespan. 1t will he something we will he needing." said Hak. The finance committee has talked about hudgeting"$25,000. for three years for the analyzer. "The technical directors and -the hospitals have been work- ing together. It'sa really. HURON MPP VISITS HOSPITAL - Helen Johns, MPP for Hu is on Friday and was updated on the accomplishments Community Hospital by Chief of Staff, Dr. Mark Woldnik; Devereaux and CEO Bill Thibert. From left: Gwen Devereaux, excellent deal," said Thihcrt. "All the chemical analyzers in the arca will he replaced over a three-year period." he added. The- chemical analyzer will he 'used for fah testing of blood. Increasing Revenue The Scaforth Community Hospital's Fiscal Advisory committee rccet. ly met to discuss ways to raise extra money. Dr. Mark Woldnik said a few of the ideas heing con- sidered are stress testing at the hospital and enhanced ultrasound services. "We're looking at 'both reducing costs and increasing revenue," said Thihcrt. Major Accomplishments Scaforth hospital CEO Bill Thihcrt shared sonde major accomplishments of the hos- pital with the hoard at last Monday night's meeting. The hospital's Strategic Planning committee recently compiled the list. • "We're the only hospital in.Huron County to grant associate privileges to a mid- wife. We've had five Mid- wifery assisted deliveries and a potential of 10 more are scheduled before the end of June," Thihcrt said. • The hospital once again pulled together for the • accreditation review:_ • Fund-raising for the hos- pital has been successful late- ly with over $25,000 heing raised by the hospital's foun- dation. • •. A regular staff newsletter entitled Quest is being pub- lished. • Dr. S. Edwards will join the medical staff in July. The Strategic Planning committee also thought .of other options for the future. • There's a possibility of. establishing a second satellite cli.riic, in addition to the existing one in Brussels. • There's a. chance of set- ting up a foot clinic and tak- ing a more holistic approach to medicine. "With emergency care, anesthetics. obstetrics, etc. We cover the, whole 'gamut. We've got it now. We're also sifting good with geriatrics," said Chief of Staff, Dr. Mark Woldnik. Huron Geriatric Team CEO Bill. Thibert recently attended a meeting concern- ing the possible creation of a geriatric assessment team for, Goderi'ch. Clinton and • Scaforth, which would he supported by the regional geriatric program out of London. There would he costs asso- ciatcd with having staff `People don't want to hear about death and dying,' says Shepherd BY DAVID SCOTT Expositor Editor It has a new name but it's still the same organization. De. Robert Shepherd gave the Scaforth 'Community. Hospital hoard a presentation on the Huron Hospice, for- merly Hospice of Huron; at • its. Feb. 27 meeting. The Scalorth.psychologist retraced the beginnings of the group which offers support. to individuals in palliative con- ditions and to their families and care -givers. The VON (Victorian Order o!- Nurses) was offering pal- liative, care as well as individ- ual groups in Wingham, Godcrich, Clinton and Seaforth. Shepherd told the hospital hoard there were —territorial issues between the groups." "A lot of the palliative care services had small, small boards. There was a sense of 'let's not interfere with. the process.' " He said there was a lack of Standardization in palliative care. Many services were hospital-based which had some disadvantages whcn it came to funding. Godcrich. Clinton and Scaforth saw the gains of joining together to makea proposal for funding. The three groups combined to make Huron Hospice Volunteer Services. Thcy established a hoard of direc- tors to oversee operations. "There's a strong represen- tation from Scaforth. The real engine of Huron Hospice is from Scaforth. it's the hack - hone of the organization," Shepherd. said. The Huron Hospice relics heavily on volunteers but it's already almost doubled its volunteer roster in one-year in three communities frorn 20 to 40: •Alt volunteers are cov- ered by liability insurance. said Shepherd. They offer an 8 -week training course in the •fall. Since the group doesn't have a lot of funding. they have started a colchicum hulk fund-raiser. "We generate our own funds. Our budget has gone from the hundreds of. dollars to $18.00( said Shepherd. - 1t seems the bulk fund-rais- er has caught the attention of the Community Hospice Association of Ontari i (CHAO) who are now con- sidering the colchicum as a suitable flower to associate with the- hospice ' cause throughout the province. Shcphcrd said both the hulh selling and the Fall Feast for Fodr fund-raisers were suc- cessful because they don't focus on the negative aspects of 'what the hospice deals with. "I've done a lot of research on death and dying and one thing people don't want to hear about is death and dying." said Shepherd. Many of the hospice's clients arc cancer sufferers hut the organization wants to • try to access patients before 'they're palliative'- when they discover they have cancer or whcn they've started treat- ment lor'cancer. "We filled a gap in the county when the Cancer Society moved its office out," said Shepherd. He praised the benefits of *office space the group has at Scaforth • Community Hospital.. "Volunteers need. a place. to meet.. they need a -phone. It got the ball rolling to ohtain an office in other communities. Clinton hospi- tal now stepped in and offered a room. We're now lobbying Godcrich. ' The hospice wants to have offices in the three communi- ties -to "make people feel they'll he equally represent- ed. ' "We can't ignore 'the fact we're separate communities," said Shcphcrd. The group is also trying to establish a computer network to help get information hack and forth. "It would also givc_'us access to the Internet. There's a Woild Wide Web site called CancerNet which allows patients and doctors to. obtain information on cancer and treatments. it will bring peo- ple int() the office in a non- threatening way," Shcphcrd said. He said the hospice wants to add to its mandate. "We not only supply care but edu- cate the public, train volun- teers, provide communication with services and offer bereavement counselling after death. "lt's been the result of a lot of volunteers working togeth- er, working hard and we couldn't he here without the generosity of the hospital," said Dr. Shepherd. PHOTO BY DAVID SCOTT ron, toured the Seaforth clin- and activities 'of Seaforth Business Manager, Gwen Bill Thibert, Helen Johns. attend training sessions. Thibcrt said it might he diffi- cult to include this, in the hudget when' the, hospital is , cutting back expenses. Mayor Congratulates •Scaforth ' Mayor Irwin, Johnston congratulated Scaforth Community - Hospital' and staff on the recent feature article in Hospital Perspectives; pub- ' ,Iishcd by the Ontario Hospital Association at last Monday's hospital hoard meeting., "On behalf of the town I think it's very important, we -have a strong •hospital. We should he very proud. Keep up the good - work.",, said Johnston. , COMPARE THE PRODUCT. Be sure your dream is protected. For no obligation. compare your house. farm, car insurance coverage with Lynda A.F. 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Call a Union Gas Sales Office before March 16, 1996 and ask about other limited time fireplace savings. 1-800-265-4173 Union Gas Energy t or You 'Deferred payments available to residential eultenierl en approved credt through Union Gat. All other offers not applicable. Oiler ends March 16. 1996 There are no setup fees or early payment p.neleles for financing. ♦ Residential customers only. on approved credit. Residents of Huron County are Invited to Attend the 2nd Annual General Meeting of the Huron Business Development Corporation Wednesday, March 13, 1996 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - Wingham Legion Hall, Victoria St, Wingham Individuals wishing to attend are requested to R.SV.P. Kelly at (519) 527-0305 (1996 Membership fees need to be paid by February 29, 1996 in order to be a voting member at this AGM.)